Transcript Highlights:

• rates so Kuckians can have access to care and we can effectively compete for behavioral health professionals
• <01:31:38.320> in behavioral health professionals in behavioral health professionals in Kentucky
• .<01:31:53.120> We<01:31:53.440> printed<01:31:53.760> some professionals.
• We printed some professionals.
• In addition, in 2005, professionals.

Keywords: 00:00:22 - Call to Order and Roll Call 00:03:00 – Approval of June 25, 2025 Minutes 00:03:22 - Update on Federal Changes to the Medicaid Program 01:03:44 - State Directed Payments, Provider Taxes, and the Rural Health Transformation Fund: How Medicaid Changes Could Impact Kentucky Hospitals 01:29:42 – Public Comments 01:45:25 – Announcements 01:46:19 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on July 30, 2025, approved the June 25 minutes, and received a presentation from Katherine Castanza of the National Conference of State Legislatures on Medicaid provisions in H.R. 1. The presentation outlined more than 20 Medicaid-related provisions, emphasizing that the largest federal savings come from work/community engagement requirements, changes to provider taxes, limits on state-directed payments, more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion populations, and related eligibility/enrollment changes. She said the fiscal effects are backloaded, with most reductions occurring in the later years of the 10-year window, and noted potential significant impacts on hospital payments and state financing. She also described new funding opportunities, including a $50 billion rural health transformation fund and a new home and community-based services waiver with associated grants. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on Kentucky’s pending community engagement 1115 waiver and how it would interact with the new federal requirements. Board members asked whether the waiver had been approved, what the cabinet’s contingency plan would be if CMS does not approve it, and what the timeline is for compliance. Cabinet representatives said the waiver has not yet been approved by CMS, remains under public comment, and that the state will wait for CMS guidance before moving forward; if needed, the state would amend the waiver or submit a new one. They said the work requirement must be in place by January 1, 2027, with a possible extension to 2028. Castanza also explained that expansion adults with incomes between 100% and 138% of the federal poverty level would face new cost-sharing requirements beginning October 1, 2028, and that eligibility redeterminations would move from annual to every six months starting January 1, 2027. She then walked through provider tax changes, including a moratorium on new provider taxes beginning October 1, 2026, and a phased reduction in the hold-harmless threshold for existing taxes beginning January 1, 2028, with exemptions for nursing facilities and ICF/IID providers. Board members questioned the timing and likely impact on Kentucky, and Castanza responded that the effect would depend on each tax’s current rate and would phase in over time.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill creates equal access for school teachers so that any teacher professional group can have the
• Hasenbeck said she is trying to clarify the law so teachers have the right to join any teacher professional
• this is already in statute and already in law, schools that are not allowing access to certain professional
• professional organizations shouldn't those organizations just report that professional organizations
• My association also provided professional development on classroom management, on literacy, on the science

Bills: SB1090, SJR49, SB633, HR1059, SB650, SB2063, SB122, SB1614, SB1884, SJR52, SJR53, HJR1101, SJR50, HB3021, HR1058, SB514, SB382, HB3320, SB740, SB833, SB2143, SB1209, SB244

Keywords: SB1090, Oklahoma Homeowner Repair Contract Protection Act, home repair, home solicitation contract, cooling-off period, right to cancel, consumer protection, contract rescission, certified mail cancellation, home solicitation sales, contractor regulation, home improvement scams, public finance, State Treasurer, Invest In Oklahoma, OCAST, venture capital, private equity, growth funds, direct investment

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including the Nurse of the Day and a guest pastor, on the National Day of Prayer. Members also made announcements about prayer activities in the Capitol and welcomed former Speaker Charles McCall to the gallery. The chamber then moved through a long floor calendar of Senate bills, joint resolutions, and a conference committee report, with several measures amended on the floor before final passage. Among the bills passed were SB 1090, a consumer protection measure aimed at giving homeowners time to cancel contracts with predatory door-knocking roofers and contractors; SJR 49, repealing a Wildlife Conservation Commission rule on surety for oil and gas leases; SB 633, a juvenile code measure described as protecting children from fentanyl poisoning; SB 650, a public utilities bill tied to transparency and accountability for state employee salary increases; SB 263, amended to include a “lemonade stand” provision; SB 122, a transportation-related bill on proof of insurance; and SB 1614, creating a teacher induction program, which also received emergency passage. SJR 52 and HJR 1101, both dealing with agency rules, also passed, as did SJR 53 on Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority rules. The most debated item was SB 1884, which would strengthen equal access for school employees to teacher professional organizations and related membership/dues procedures. Supporters argued it would clarify existing law, ensure fair access, and give teachers more choice and legal support; opponents said the problem was compliance with current law, not a need for new statute, and warned against duplicating existing protections. After extended debate, the bill failed 47-44. Members then took up SJR 50, a major Medicaid expansion-related resolution revising earlier trigger language; supporters said it preserved expansion unless federal funding changed and gave lawmakers flexibility, while opponents argued the state had not done enough fiscal analysis before proposing changes. SJR 50 passed 69-18. Finally, the House adopted a conference committee report on HB 3021, consolidating graduation requirements into the ICAP framework and clarifying related school rules, and the bill passed with emergency status.

Transcript Highlights:

• The OSBI cold case team consists of a small number of talented, dedicated, and tenacious professionals
• Whereas ACOG represents more than 62,000 healthcare professionals nationwide, including 489 members in
• It is Not substitute any of the professional days anymore.
• This was changed to just through the days and not take up those professional days.
• Richard Willoughby to the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Bills: SJR50, SJR51, SJR52, SJR53, SJR54, SJR39, SB1290, HB4028, HB4029, HB4073, HB4074, HB4075, HB4076, HB4077, HB4078, HB1250, HB2951, HB2961, HB3151, HB3581, HB3705, HB3970, HB3972, HB3980, HB3981

Keywords: Medicaid, federal funding, state law, healthcare, low-income adults, Oklahoma Constitution, healthcare regulations, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, permanent rules, joint resolution, OHCA, health care rules, administrative rules, major rule, Title 75, Title 317, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 317:30, health policy, state health programs

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:16:04.880> services<00:16:05.360> at<00:16:05.600> no included professional
• services at no included professional services at no cost<00:16:06.079> from<00:16:06.320>
• So we don't have to depend on high-cost professional services engagements.
• those expensive professional services. those expensive professional services.
• Yeah, because we're not going to be including some of the professional services because we've learned

Keywords: 1:00 Roll Call 2:38 Overview of Citizen Identity Security and Threat Reduction 9:36 Identity Solution and Casts 13:51 System Application and Discovery Issues 21:31 Staffing and Timelines 29:14 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement, and Finance received a presentation from Jim Barnhard, CIO of the Commonwealth Office of Technology, and David Carter, deputy CIO/CISO, on the state’s citizen identity management project. They said the project is intended to streamline citizen logins across agencies, reduce duplicated identity-management costs, improve security by centralizing authentication, and provide a flexible system that can scale with demand. The presenters described major implementation challenges, including integrating with diverse and legacy applications, and said the chosen software-as-a-service vendor was selected because it can connect to many systems and maintain the service in a federally certified cloud environment. The presenters emphasized that the project scope is limited to login, authentication, identity management, and identity proofing, while leaving authorization decisions to the individual applications and agencies. They said the work is being done in phases, beginning with discovery sessions with agencies, then selecting representative applications for onboarding rather than attempting a “big bang” rollout. They also said the vendor agreement includes professional services and knowledge transfer to reduce long-term dependence on outside support, and that the state has already begun outreach to agencies, including initial work with the Finance Cabinet and the Department of Revenue. Members asked about staffing, current spending, future costs, and whether existing systems or contracts could be reduced. The presenters said the project is being supported with existing staff, with no expectation of a large increase in positions, and that the vendor will carry most of the operational load. They said they did not have statewide spending figures with them but could try to gather them, and explained that the negotiated pricing is intended to be all-inclusive, with fixed costs for the first five years and capped increases in years six and seven. They said centralizing identity services should eventually allow the Commonwealth to stand down some duplicated agency-level licensing and reduce overall operational costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have ongoing professional development That we have to go through and pass these tests in order to
• We also have $16.5 million for professional development that is led by the Priority Schools Bureau.
• This also includes our professional development, our newly created AI professional development as well
• And this training includes about hours of synchronous professional learning for our educators and it's
• are credible, and making sure our board trainings are credible. and professional and reliable.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Senator Draheim, what I would say is that at MMB we have a team of financial professionals who
• Chair, Senator Draheim, what I would say is that at MMB we have a team of financial professionals who
• Chair, Senator Draheim, what I would say is that at MMB we have a team of financial professionals who
• At MMB, we have a team of financial professionals who are working to support agencies with financial
• <00:32:26.399> development for more professional development for more professional development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I wanted to take a moment to personally thank her for her hard work, professionalism, and commitment
• Her academic and professional interests center on stakeholder capitalism and the role and responsibilities
• Her academic and professional interests center on stakeholder capitalism and the role and responsibilities
• In addition to her academic and professional pursuits, Jada volunteers and mentors young girls through
• And former Senate professional staffer Susan Miller.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of recognitions for interns, staff, and guests. Members also honored a retiring Senate staffer and a wounded veteran, then moved into returning House messages and special order bills. Several measures were taken up and either concurred in or sent back to the House, with multiple unanimous or near-unanimous votes on noncontroversial bills. Among the bills addressed were SB 118 on recreational vehicle park assessments, SB 572 on ethics for public officers and employees, and HB 991 on election integrity. SB 118 and SB 572 were amended to reflect House changes and passed 38-0. HB 991 drew extensive debate over voter registration and identification requirements, with opponents arguing it would burden students, seniors, disabled voters, and others, while supporters said it would strengthen election security and streamline verification; it passed 27-12. The chamber also approved bills on historic cemeteries, chickee regulation, habitual traffic offender designation, military affairs, and a Department of Health package. The Department of Health bill (SB 902/HB 733) was the subject of detailed amendment work, including changes to medical marijuana rules, NICU educational materials, Early Steps, dental loan repayment, and pediatric trauma center designation. The Senate adopted an amendment to the amendment and then passed the bill 37-0. Other measures included a funeral services bill, which the Senate refused to concur in because the House strike-all would redefine cremation to include composting, and a veterans-related bill that was temporarily postponed. The Senate also recessed briefly, then returned to continue the calendar and additional recognitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• At this point I might defer in a minute to my professional witness just to cover a little bit of what
• Tristan Brown of CFT, a union of educators and classified professionals here at the college.
• That only happens when we invest in ongoing professional development and universal design for learning
• The fact is this proposal does not limit a district's flexibility to change professional assignments,
• Many CTE teachers at ROCPs are industry professionals who teach part-time or are on short-term contracts

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:02:47.000> who<01:02:47.080> are with a number of professionals who are with a
• number of professionals who are sitting<01:02:47.480> at<01:02:47.600> the<01:02:47.720
• For everything, for all you're doing, and I really respect and support the professionalism you bring
• <01:23:14.520> engineers uh those licensed professional engineers uh those licensed professional
• really the licensed professional really the licensed professional engineer<01:23:21.840> signs

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, because of your generosity, we have collected a significant amount of professional attire that will
• have collected a significant amount we have collected a significant amount of<00:04:07.920> professional
• > attire<00:04:09.280> that<00:04:09.480> will<00:04:09.640> go of professional
• attire that will go of professional attire that will go directly<00:04:10.480> toward<00:04:10.960

Bills: SCR56, SCR79, SCR85, SCR120, SCR129, SCR181, SCR63, SCR112, SCR194, SCR195, SCR196, HB202, HB963, HB1050, HB1511, HB1546, HB1550, HB1553, HB1643, HB1656, HB1658, HB1664, HB1667, HB1682, HB1700, HB1721, HB1810, HB1823, HB1824, HB1878, HB1969, HB2005, HB2078, HB2152, HB2246, HB2270, HB2279, HB2289, HB2385, HB2417, HB2429, HB2503, HB2599, SB253, SB847, SB1142, SB1432, SB2043, SB2050, SB2074, SB2102, SB2135, SB2138, SB2140, SB2320, SB2340, SB2386, SB2396, SB2397, SB2398, SB2433, SB2446, SB2521, SB2544, SB2567, SB2578, SB2580, SB2595, SB2601, SB2645, SB2673, SB2706, SB2727, SB2802, SB2852, SB2892, SB2929, SB2972, SB3007, SB3069, SB3073, SB3076, SB3136, SB3138, SB3157, SB3204, SB3234, SB3247, SB3302, SB3324, SB3325, HB1815, HB2592, HCR32

Keywords: lifeguards, first responders, public safety, ocean safety, emergency response, community wellbeing, invasive species, octocoral, Pearl Harbor, environment, Navy responsibility, marine ecosystem, ecosystem preservation, shoreline maintenance, civil service, classification review, compensation systems, labor shortage, employee retention, department collaboration

Transcript Highlights:

• THE GOVERNANCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BUREAU DRAFT, MAINTAIN RULE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATED
• CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND WORK ACROSS GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES TO PROMOTE BEST PRACTICES AND PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL
• ADDITIONALLY WE HAVE CERTIFIED MORE CONTRACT MANAGERS AND PROJECT MANAGE PROFESSIONALS THAN EVER BEFORE
• WE DEVELOPED AND PROVIDE MORE TRAININGS AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS TO EQUIP STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I could not ask for a more dedicated group of professionals.
• AB 489 Bonta, health professional chat bots do pass out on an A roll call. AB 801 Bonta.
• AB 742, Alhawari, professional licensing priority, do pass out on a B roll call.
• AB 1454 Revis literacy instruction professional development due pass out on an A roll call.
• AB 548, Social Services holding committee AB 667 slouch a professional licensees exam interpreters do

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our turnover rate has dropped to 10%. across the agency and just 2.3% for licensed professionals like
• 14 of our presentation, we continue to struggle. to attract and retain qualified attorneys and professionals
• , preserving, and protecting the health and safety of the people of Texas and licensed skilled professionals
• Each staff member in the agency performs an important function for licensing skilled professionals who
• all metrics in performance and efficiency, despite a significant surge in the number of dental professionals

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Licensed pest management professionals Licensed pest management professionals in<01:31:29.760> New
• > not<01:33:14.560> eliminate trained professionals does not eliminate trained professionals
• >> Do you mean by licensed professionals?
• He said, "Let the professionals deal with this."
• <03:40:19.920> were that was how the professionals were that was how the professionals were

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First will be experienced professionals and subject matter experts in the field.
• First will be experienced professionals and subject matters in the field.
• Let me first begin by acknowledging the dedication and professionalism of the attorneys, social workers
• Let me first begin by acknowledging the dedication and professionalism of the attorneys, social workers
• That is why most campaigns rely on some professional signature gathering.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 2522 / H. 5909, which would amend state labor law to treat the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) as a public employer and allow its employees to seek collective bargaining rights. The chair explained the Article 48 initiative process, noted that no opponents or members of the public had signed up to testify, and said written testimony would be accepted through March 20. The hearing focused on whether CPCS staff should be brought within the public-sector bargaining framework and how that would interact with the agency’s statutory duties. Expert testimony began with an NCSL analyst, who gave a national overview of public employee bargaining rights and examples of public defender unions in other states and localities, including Colorado, New York City, Indianapolis, Cook County, Maryland, and Illinois. Department of Labor Relations officials then reviewed prior failed organizing efforts at CPCS and its predecessor, explaining that earlier petitions were dismissed because the agency was not considered a public employer under existing law. They said passage of the initiative would not automatically unionize employees, but would allow a union to petition for an election or written majority authorization, with normal unit-appropriateness and supervisory/confidential employee issues still to be resolved. CPCS Chief Counsel Anthony Benedetti testified that the agency supports providing information to the legislature but is not taking a position for or against unionization. He described CPCS’s statutory responsibilities, size, and current efforts to expand staffing after recent indigent-defense crises, and said any new bargaining framework would need to operate alongside the agency’s obligations to provide counsel. Proponents from SEIU Local 888 and allied labor groups argued that CPCS employees have long been denied the same collective bargaining rights as other public workers, and that a union would provide just-cause protections, a voice on staffing and working conditions, and better support for recruitment and retention. CPCS attorneys and staff testified in favor of the measure, citing heavy caseloads, rapid expansion, inadequate supervision and office support, and the need for representation in disciplinary and workplace disputes. Committee members asked about bargaining-unit composition, the role of the DLR, the effect of unionization on attorneys’ ethical duties, and the use and cost of paid signature gathering. The hearing ended with no votes taken and no opposition testimony presented.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I've learned through my personal work and professional work is that my story is shared by so many
• From both the personal and professional perspective, I can confidently say that early detection is essential
• Medical aesthetics is a multidisciplinary field that includes a myriad of medical and aesthetic professionals
• Medical aesthetics is a multidisciplinary field that includes a myriad of medical and aesthetic professionals
• team includes active industry participants, including nurse practitioners and other experienced professionals

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health heard testimony on four bills: H. 5013 and S. 2928, which would establish a three-year celiac disease screening pilot program for children during routine cholesterol/lipid screening at ages 8 to 12; H. 5087, regulating medical spas; and H. 5115, establishing statewide food truck regulations, though the transcript focused almost entirely on the celiac and medical spa bills. For the celiac proposal, Rep. Badger and Sen. Lovely described long diagnostic delays, the lack of a cure, and the potential for a simple blood test to identify children earlier and reduce long-term harm. Multiple patients, clinicians, and researchers supported the pilot, saying celiac is frequently missed because symptoms vary widely or are absent, and that early detection could prevent malnutrition, growth problems, osteoporosis, and other complications. Testifiers also emphasized that the bill would study feasibility, accuracy, cost, and acceptability, and would include family education and support resources if diagnoses are made through the program. Several experts and advocates backed the celiac screening pilot, including a pediatric gastroenterologist from Italy who described successful national screening efforts there, a Celiac Disease Foundation representative, pediatric gastroenterologists from Massachusetts and Colorado, a pediatric dietitian, and a parent whose child was diagnosed after severe malnutrition. They argued that routine screening alongside existing pediatric bloodwork could identify many undiagnosed children and improve health equity, since celiac disease is often overlooked in people of color and lower-income patients. Committee members asked about how the screening would work, and witnesses explained it could begin with a blood test, followed by confirmatory endoscopy if needed. No vote was taken in the hearing. On H. 5087, witnesses from the medical aesthetics industry largely opposed the bill as written, saying it was outdated, redundant with existing Massachusetts licensing and board oversight, and too restrictive for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other licensed providers. Testifiers, including a retired lobbyist, a nurse practitioner, a PA, a plastic surgeon, and a clinic owner, said the bill could reduce access, raise costs, and push care into less regulated settings, while not addressing the real issues of training, compliance, and patient safety. Committee members pressed for more specific feedback on what provisions were unnecessary or duplicative, and witnesses said they had submitted position papers and written testimony identifying conflicts with current law. The hearing ended with the chair noting that all oral and written testimony would be reviewed before any decisions are made.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, Member, Senate Bill 1656 amends the process the court must follow when appointing professional
• personnel in family court proceedings and provides guidelines for professional personnel once appointed
• Chairman, Member, Senate Bill 1656, amends the process the court must follow when appointing professional
• personnel in family court proceedings and provides guidelines for professional personnel once appointed
• That's just plain and accurate. ...professional conduct requirements of an appointed person.

Bills: SB1317, SB1655, SB1656, SB1751, SCR1049

Keywords: reentry programs, criminal justice, funding, grants, recidivism, attorney general, jury duty, election worker, Arizona Revised Statutes, temporary appointment, civic duty, family court, professional personnel, parenting time, legal decision-making, evidentiary hearings, child custody, ethical standards, capital punishment, death penalty

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1655, which would have allowed qualified jurors to serve as temporary election workers instead of jury service if summoned 90 to 120 days before an election. The Arizona Association of Counties opposed the bill, saying the timing would create major planning and tracking problems for county jury commissioners and courts, and noting that jury service can already be excused in some circumstances. Members also raised concerns that jury duty and poll work are fundamentally different responsibilities. The motion for a due pass recommendation failed, 4-5, and the bill did not advance. The committee then heard SB 1751 and the related SCR 1049, both dealing with Arizona execution methods. The bills would expand the available methods of execution to include firing squad and lethal gas, alongside lethal injection, with the SCR going to voters. Senator Payne argued the change was needed because Arizona has had problems with past execution methods and that the inmate would choose among the options. Opponents, including a death penalty attorney and a corrections chaplain, argued the methods raise constitutional, operational, staffing, and trauma concerns, and that Arizona should not revive methods with a history of botched or prolonged executions. SB 1751 received a due pass recommendation, 6-2 with one absent and one present, and SCR 1049 also received a due pass recommendation, 6-2 with one absent and one present. The committee next considered SB 1317 as a strike-everything amendment appropriating $20 million in opioid settlement/remediation funds for county coordinated reentry planning services and a statewide database. Supporters from the Arizona Sheriffs Association and county sheriffs said the program has shown strong recidivism reductions, helps people transition from county jails back into the community, and should expand to more counties. Members asked about data, funding timing, and whether all counties should participate; supporters said the amount would likely be negotiated in the budget process and that the database funding was needed to track outcomes. The strike-everything amendment was adopted, and SB 1317 as amended passed 9-0 with one absent. Finally, the committee heard SB 1656, which would change how courts appoint professional personnel in family court cases and set guidelines for those appointees. Court representatives submitted written concerns, saying the bill would duplicate existing practice, require unnecessary and costly depositions of experts before appointment, mandate recordings of all interactions, and extend the statute of limitations for lawsuits. With no sponsor present and no outside speakers, members expressed concern that the bill was unnecessary and potentially costly. SB 1656 failed to receive a due pass recommendation, with three nays, six votes not in favor, and one absent.

Transcript Highlights:

• nonprofit organization that is dedicated to furthering the advancement of African American legal professionals
• throughout Texas, fostering professional development.
• collaborative community and to equip the next generation of attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals
• Since its founding, BJLI has directly mentored aspiring black legal professionals and civic leaders through
• So the purpose of the office is to have technical professionals, people skilled in regulations to determine

Transcript Highlights:

• a department-managed construction project had to be licensed by the Department of Business and Professional
• next item is on tab four of your notebooks, and it's a report by the Department of Business and Professional
• Rule 61A-2.022, the Division of Alcohol, Beverages, and Tobacco in the Department of Business and Professional
• Rule 61A-2.022, the Division of Alcohol, Beverages, and Tobacco in the Department of Business and Professional
• My name is Jake Whelden, and I serve as the General Counsel for the Department of Business and Professional

Summary: The Joint Administrative Procedures Committee reviewed several agency rules and objections under Chapter 120. First, the committee revisited prior objections to Agency for Health Care Administration rules containing sunset provisions. AHCA’s general counsel said the agency amended 26 of the objected rules but declined to amend five others, arguing sunset provisions are lawful, are not themselves rules, and were consistent with a 2019 gubernatorial directive. Committee members questioned that position, especially for licensing and certificate-of-need rules, and urged the agency to consider legislative changes; no formal action was taken on that item during the discussion. The committee then considered an objection to Department of Management Services Rule 60G-1.001 defining the Governor’s Mansion grounds. Committee staff argued the rule is vague and improperly refers to future land acquisitions without updating the rule since 1998. DMS defended the rule as a general definition tied to publicly recorded property and a master lease, but said it would not object if the Legislature chose to codify the definition in statute. After discussion, the committee voted to file the objection. Members also received informational updates from the Department of Environmental Protection on the Solaris state lands inventory system, and from the Florida Gaming Control Commission on its response to the Tampa Bay Downs unadopted-rule litigation, in which the commission said it has stopped relying on the prior tax interpretation and will not promulgate a rule on that issue. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation said it would remove an unsupported cigar wholesale dealer permit reference, repeal an obsolete excise-tax deduction rule, and amend penalty guidelines and an affirmation in its alcohol, beverage, and tobacco rules. Finally, the Division of Administrative Hearings’ interim director discussed case-processing times, possible changes to ALJ status, and whether the Florida Rules of Evidence should apply in administrative proceedings, emphasizing the need to weigh costs, independence, and impacts on pro se litigants. The chair noted this was likely the committee’s final meeting of the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• The proposed changes update language for improved reading and understanding for the public and professionals
• Updating professional terms in the same sense, this is just streamlining language, making sure that our
• <00:03:26.000> terms<00:03:26.400> in Board um updating professional terms in Board
• um updating professional terms in the<00:03:26.720> same<00:03:27.319> sense<00:03:27.959
• So at some point, some professional in the United States will be observing this person working before

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Licensing and Occupations met on March 27, 2025, with a quorum present and first took up House Bill 255, relating to physical therapy. The bill sponsor and representatives of the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy and APTA Kentucky said the measure is mainly a cleanup and modernization bill that updates outdated statutory language, changes PTAs from “certified” to “licensed,” gives the board authority to purchase liability insurance, moves fee and fine caps into regulation without changing current fees, renames temporary permits as provisional licenses, and creates a pathway to more easily recognize some internationally trained physical therapists already practicing in other states. Senators asked whether the bill changed training, scope of practice, Medicaid, or supervised practice standards; witnesses said it did not, and that supervised practice requirements remain in place with out-of-state practice accepted only when equivalent or more stringent. The committee approved HB 255 with favorable expression. The committee then considered House Bill 618, an alcoholic beverages measure with a Senate committee substitute. The bill was described as having three parts: allowing restaurants to buy limited quantities of alcohol from retail outlets to meet customer demand while keeping the three-tier system intact and requiring quarterly reporting; creating a temporary auctioneer license to auction previously retail-sold alcohol in original packaging, such as estate or bourbon collections; and giving quota bar license holders the same opportunity restaurants already have to sell barrel picks by the bottle. Testimony supported the bill as a way to help restaurants, auctioneers, and bars, while a senator raised a question about sales tax on auction sales and another noted that nonprofit or church-related alcohol auctions already require permits under existing law. One senator suggested future guardrails to encourage local purchasing, but no amendment was adopted. The committee passed HB 618 with favorable expression.